TIPS ON HOW TO JOURNAL
There is no right or wrong way to journal – there is only your way.
Journaling is a personal expression and there are many creative ways to practice. When I first began journaling around age 10, I recorded the day’s events in a small, locked diary marked “TOP SECRET” which I was careful to hide from my sisters. (I had an entire first page of warnings in this journal – if you dare read this, I will do this to you…)
As I evolved, so did my journaling style. At times, I have kept a health journal with recorded workouts and progress, a bullet journal with to dos and bucket list, and an art journal with sketches and photos. Your style of journaling may change over the years, yet there are a few tips to keep your journaling experience moving and enriching.
Here are my tips on enjoying the journal journey:
Make it a Habit. Schedule it. Figure out your journaling time.
Can you wake up a half hour earlier to set aside time with yourself before the morning rush begins? Or is bedtime a better approach for your lifestyle? Whatever it is, add it to your daily ritual. Put it on your calendar or set a reminder! Set aside 15-20 minutes and just begin. It may feel like a discipline in the beginning yet over time it becomes your personal sanctuary.
Set a place in your home to journal.
Make journaling a ritual you enjoy. Bring some joy to your ritual - a cup of tea, your favorite candle, fuzzy socks, a cozy chair, a beautiful journal. Find a place with no distractions - preferably technology free so you are not interrupted with the ping of a text, email or news update. Let the world wait while you have your time to explore.
In the warm months, I love to sit on our deck with my back to the sun listening to all the bird activity and just write. In the winter months, I have a favorite chair in our tiny study with a heated blanket where I cozy up with my cappuccino to write and just escape. Find your happy place and make it happen!
Write it
The very act of handwriting causes you to slow down and increases receptors in your brain similar to meditation. Write without editing yourself and just allow your mind to be free. You will find yourself sifting emotions naturally as you gain insight from a stream of consciousness. Remember you aren’t writing for anyone else to read ~ you are writing to record your own thoughts and process.
In a world of technology, a handwritten item is a precious creation.
Create a journal that is handmade by you – for you. It a gift you give yourself. It is a moment in your day when you tune out the noise of technologies and get back to the basic art of handwriting. Pick out a journal that speaks to you – there are dozens to choose from!
Don’t Edit Yourself
Let you mind go and just enjoy the process. This doesn’t need to be perfect or grammatically correct – it is a flow of consciousness. Be honest in your writing and you will uncover truths about yourself you may not have realized. You may find you jump from subject to subject or be surprised at what comes up – just let it happen. The purpose is to get it on paper. The process is the purpose so just let it go!
If you feel stuck, focus on gratitude
To me, gratitude is like ice cream. It is impossible to be unhappy when you are eating ice cream or in a state of gratitude. Think of at least 3 things you are grateful for in your life and write it down! Usually one gratitude leads to another and soon you recognize the riches in your life. Just by doing this, you invite more joy in your life.
If you would like more journaling prompts, check out Journaling Ideas to Get you Going
Date Each Entry
Be sure to date your entry so you can review and recognize where you were each day. I like to add in the date, time and where I was when writing as this helps me recall the mood. It is important to see your life progressing and when you review your entries you gain greater perspective of how for you have come. Even the time lapse between entries is fascinating to tell what was going on with your life.
Just Begin!
Just get going! Don’t wait for the perfect moment, set a time if you need to and just begin with 5-10 minutes a day. Do it especially when you don’t feel like it as this is when you may find the insight you need.